I Trust in You

10 Sunday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 25, Psalms

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guidance for life, hope in God, praise the LORD, sins of my youth, trust in God

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 25:1-7

Of David.

In you, LORD my God,
I put my trust.
I trust in you;
do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.
Show me your ways, LORD,
teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, LORD, are good. *

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here. TheElishaCodeCVR5

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Our King of Glory

09 Saturday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 24, Psalms

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Almighty, King of glory, praise the LORD, the LORD

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 24:7-10

Lift up your heads, you gates;
    be lifted up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
    The LORD strong and mighty,
    the LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, you gates;
    lift them up, you ancient doors,
    that the King of glory may come in.
Who is he, this King of glory?
    The LORD Almighty—
    he is the King of glory. *

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

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Two Covenants

08 Friday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 105, Psalms

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covenant, generations, inheritance, jealous, zealous

Reading: Psalm 105:8-15
He remembers his covenant forever,
the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
“To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit.”
When they were but few in number,
few indeed, and strangers in it,
they wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
He allowed no one to oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:
“Do not touch my anointed ones;
do my prophets no harm” (NIV). *

Photo by Carlos Santiago on Pexels.com

Reflection
Covenant is a term that is not used much in daily speech. The Encarta Dictionary provides us with this definition of covenant: a solemn agreement that is binding on all parties. By that definition marriage is a covenant that we enter into. A sound Christian marriage is a three-way covenant between the husband, the wife, and their Creator.

Encarta also provides a biblical definition of God’s enduring covenant with His people: in the Bible, the promises that were made between God and the Israelites, who agreed to worship no other gods.

There is something very exclusive about both these covenants. In our marriage vows we covenant or promise to love each other exclusively. No other lover may intrude. In the same way no other gods may intrude into the covenant relationship that we have with God. The LORD wants us exclusively for Himself. That is the nature of true love. It is jealous—zealous and jealous in guarding that relationship.

God’s zealous and jealous love for His people is clearly visible in today’s reading from Psalm 105. We read: He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations. A thousand generations is a long time, 25,000 years by the commonly used reckoning. But forever is much longer. What an incredible love the LORD has for us!

We serve a faithful, passionate God who will remain true to His covenant. The question that remains for us is, will we remain true to our end of the bargain? Will we be faithful, passionate, and committed in our love for the LORD? Through Christ we have an eternal inheritance by a covenant that is not of this world. Praise be to God for his enduring love.

Response: Father God, thank you for your love and faithfulness even when I have gone astray. You draw me back. Today, I renew my covenant with you. I commit myself afresh to loving and serving you. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you stayed faithful to your covenant? Does your covenant need to be renewed?

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. TheElishaCodeCVR5 To purchase or for a closer look click here.

The Lion of the Tribe of Judah

07 Thursday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalms

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confess, Jesus, redemption, salvation, strength, the cross

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 105:1-7

Lord Jesus,
you are strong—
strong enough to carry the cross on my behalf—
strong enough to purchase my redemption.
I look to you for strength and salvation.
Always guide my steps.
I confess that I need you at every stage of my life.
Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. TheElishaCodeCVR5 To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Jesus Loves Me

07 Thursday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 105, Psalms

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Jesus, power, strength, strong, wisdom

Reading: Psalm 105:1-7
Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,
his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth (NIV). *

Photo by Tatiana Syrikova on Pexels.com

Reflection
This past Sunday during the children’s church time the pastor led the children in a rousing chorus of “Jesus Loves Me.” In case you need a quick refresher, here is the first verse of that much loved children’s hymn: Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so; Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong.

I remember singing this song with much gusto as a young tyke at Vacation Bible School. I took special comfort from this line: Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong.

As a child I was well aware I needed the strength of Jesus, since I had so little strength of my own. As we grow up and mature into adulthood we can forget to depend on the Lord’s strength. We have plenty of our own strength. Soon we can find ourselves relying on our own intellect and resources to solve problems as they come our way. Who needs Jesus when we can make our own way in life? Maybe we don’t consciously say that, but our actions reflect that line of reasoning.

The children’s song “Jesus Loves Me” might have been inspired by a line from Psalm 105 where we read, Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.

The plain truth is that I need the LORD and His strength at every stage of my life. My strength on every level is miniscule in the sight of God. That’s why I need to seek his face continually. His wisdom surpasses my limited understanding. I have so little strength on my own, but His power is all surpassing. How foolish we are to rely on our abilities, when the Lord offers to walk through this life right beside us. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).

Response: Lord Jesus, you are strong—strong enough to carry the cross on my behalf—strong enough to purchase my redemption. I look to you for strength and salvation. Always guide my steps. I confess that I need you at every stage of my life. Amen.

Your Turn: Did you find it easier to trust in Jesus as a child than as an adult? Why? What changes your level of trust in God?

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

TheElishaCodeCVR5 To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Rest and Renewal

05 Tuesday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 104, Psalms

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garden, renewal, resurrection, rhythm of life, seasons, transitions

Reading: Psalm 104:19-26
He made the moon to mark the seasons,
and the sun knows when to go down.
You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in their dens.
Then people go out to their work,
to their labor until evening.
How many are your works, LORD!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.
There the ships go to and fro,
and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there (NIV). *

back view of person standing on country road between trees

Photo by Domen Mirtiu010d Dolenec on Pexels.com

Reflection
There is something to be said for routine and regularity. By that I mean the whole vast rhythm of life. Today’s reading from Psalm 104 eloquently reflects the rhythm of life from sunrise to sunset and the return to sunrise once again.

This summer, my wife and I collected beautiful ripe tomatoes from our garden. But a month later frost brought an end to that harvest. At the end of October, we dug out the potatoes and root vegetables and put them into storage. The seasons are changing. They always have. In this part of the world, all we can do is prepare for the transition; we can’t prevent it from happening.

Transitions are about rest and renewal. The setting sun lets us know that it’s time to stop our labor and get the rest that is essential for our well-being. In the same way as winter approaches trees and vegetation go dormant, but after a season of rest the great spring renewal will surely come. It always has, and so it will continue until the end of time.

In the same way there is a renewal promised to us at the end this life. Resurrection happens every spring and it will happen to this old clod of earth as well. That’s the great hope we have because of Christ. The word of God has been planted in our hearts and it will bear fruit now and in eternity, which has been promised to those who believe. Do you believe? Do you have faith in the changing seasons? Do you have faith in the One who created the seasons?

Response: Father God, thank you for designing the days, months, and seasons. I want to draw near to you in every season of life. How many are your works, LORD! You are worthy of all praise. Renew and refresh me in the seasons of my life. Amen.

Your Turn: What is your favorite season? Why? What season of life are you in?

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

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Who May Ascend?

03 Sunday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 24, Psalms

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blessing, mountain, praise the LORD, the LORD

I will praise the LORD!

Photo by vishal amin on Pexels.com

Reading: Psalm 24:1-6

Of David. A psalm.

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it on the seas
    and established it on the waters.
Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?
    Who may stand in his holy place?
The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
    who does not trust in an idol
    or swear by a false god.
They will receive blessing from the LORD
    and vindication from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
    who seek your face, God of Jacob. *

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

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The Shepherd’s Psalm

02 Saturday Dec 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 23, Psalms

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comfort, green pastures, shepherd, the LORD

I will praise the LORD!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Reading: Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
    forever. *

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

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Is Your Praise Simply Cathartic?

27 Monday Nov 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 103, Psalms

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constancy of God, discipline, pandemic, praise, worship

Reading: Psalm 103:1-6
Of David.
Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed (NIV). *

Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU on Pexels.com

Reflection
Psalm 103 begins by David calling on his soul to praise the LORD. Many see praise and worship as a purely cathartic response to the manifest goodness of God. Something good happens to us. Unexpectedly, we get a thousand-dollar check in the mail. Quite naturally our response is praise to God.

For many people, praise to God never progresses beyond this natural, cathartic level. If God does not bless, no praise is forthcoming. Our praise for the LORD becomes, or simply remains circumstance dependent. But that was not the case with David. His praise extended beyond simple catharsis. He taught his soul to praise the LORD in all circumstances. True biblical praise and worship is after all a spiritual exercise, a discipline we grow in, just as we grow in the discipline of prayer.

The LORD, the object of our praise, does not change with our circumstances. He is forever the same. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is constant, hence our praise and worship of him should be constant, unaffected by weather conditions, world events, the gyrations of the stock market, our swings of mood or our personal situation.

Of course, this constancy in praise is something the natural man simply rebels against. Our world needs to be right for us to praise God aright, or so we reason. The only problem with this logic is the world has never been right since the Fall. Death, disease, war, and misery have been raining down on the children of Adam since wilful disobedience to God first took root among us. And this is one weather forecast, for all humanity, that is not about to change—not until Christ returns.

If we are waiting for a perfect world before we lift our voice in praise to God, we will never praise Him. In fact, if our eyes are on the world, or on ourselves, there will always be grounds to withhold our praise. But then, the whole purpose of praise and worship is to lift up our eyes. We desperately need to get our eyes off ourselves, off the world, and onto God our Maker.

Response: Father God, I genuinely want to learn to praise you in all situations. You are always good, loving, and worthy of praise. Along with David I declare, “Praise the LORD, my soul!” Amen.

Your Turn: Have you learned to praise God even in difficult times like the pandemic? Have you drawn closer to God or has your relationship suffered?

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

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He Has Done It!

26 Sunday Nov 2023

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 22, Psalms

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dominion, nations, the LORD, worship

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 22:27-31

All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations.

All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it! *

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

Available now…

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 25:1-7

Of David.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 24:7-10

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from “Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer” by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 105:1-7

Lord Jesus, you are strong— strong enough to carry the cross on my behalf— strong enough to purchase my redemption. I look to you for strength and salvation. Always guide my steps. I confess that I need you at every stage of my life. Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 24:1-6

Of David. A psalm.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Reading: Psalm 22:27-31

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel and Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Lord Jesus,
you are strong—
strong enough to carry the cross on my behalf—
strong enough to purchase my redemption.
I look to you for strength and salvation.
Always guide my steps.
I confess that I need you at every stage of my life.
Amen.